Chapter 3 The life of Zamir

The life of Zamir’s family.

His family’s combined fortune is derived largely from stakes held in J & H Summit, which has interests in airlines, shipping or logistics, manufacturing, distributing, marketing, telecom, banking, food, and property.

J & H Summit Holdings, Inc. is a holding company, which engages in the manufacture and distribution of agro-industrial products, and the provision of real estate development and management services.

It operates through the following segments: Real estate and Hotels; Banking; Food, Agro-Industrial and Commodities; Air Transportation; and Other Supplementary Business.

The company was founded by the late father of Jacob and Jacob’s best friend Haris. Haris died at an early age.

When the company was founded, Haris was the chief executive for he owned the biggest stake in the holding company. Almost half of the holding company’s total share of stock is owned by Haris.

But when Haris died because of lung cancer Jacob’s father took over his position for Haris had no successor at that time because he is an orphan. Even though Haris has a rumored son. But no matter how hard he searched for the child he couldn’t find his son until his last breath. He didn’t meet his son.

As Haris’ best friend, Jacob promised to him that he will find Haris’s son and he will give the position that Haris left when he finds the child.

When Jacob’s father died because of his old age, Jacpb took over the position as a chief executive.

At present, Jacob , Zamir’s grandfather, runs J & H Summit as its chief executive.

Theo, Zamir’s father, and Lara, Zamir’s stepmother, manage their shipping and logistic business.

Imran , Zamir’s stepbrother, runs their telecom company.

Fatima, Zamir’s stepsister, manages their marketing business.

Zamir is in charge of their banking and distribution businesses.

The rest of the companies under the J & H Summit as subsidiaries are owned by their other relatives and close friends.

Those facts show that Zamir belongs to a rich and influential family in their society.

As mentioned, Zamir has a stepmother, step brother and sister. Lara is Zamir’s stepmother, the mother of Imran and Fatima. Imran and Fatima are children of Lara from her previous marriage. They are older than Zamir.

Zamir is the youngest among them. He is considered the only biological son of Theo and the only legitimate grandson of Jacob for Theo is the only son of Jacob. That’s why Zamir is the chosen successor for the present position of Jacob.

Zamir is next in line to be a chief executive of J & H Summit Holdings, Inc., at the age of 28 his life is not as normal as other men can enjoy.

Zamir’s family is very strict to him. His life is not normal like other men at the same age.

While others have a lot of free time in their hands to enjoy, Zamir has a limited time for himself. He is a very busy person.

Way back then, as a little boy he needed to study hard until he finished his course in Business Administration with a master’s degree in entrepreneurial management . Zamir, with a degree in business management, knows how to manage their businesses successfully.

SO Zamir is not just a rich, good looking and charming man but he is brainy too.

Will Jessica fall for him when they continue getting to know each other while chatting?

Or Will Zamir fall for Jessica?

Will they send messages to each other again or will they stop before it’s too late?

In life destiny is out of control. Love moves in mysterious ways. It is always so surprising.

******

It’s 2:00 pm Tuesday, in Albania time zone.

Zamir is in his office at J & H Summit Holdings, Inc. He is busy doing his work but from time to time he glances at his cellphone as if she is waiting for a message from someone else.

But disappointment crossed his handsome face whenever he saw that there was no message from the person he wanted to send a message to him.

Zamir is busy typing something on his computer when his cell phone vibrates on his table. He immediately picks it up with a half smile on his face thinking that maybe “Jessica“ is the one who is messaging but the smile on his face disappears when he stares at the screen.

It was not “she” who sent the message but his grandfather, Jacob, saying, “Zamir, come to my office and give me your report”.

“Yes, Grandpa,” Zamir replied but he barely typed his reply because he was disappointed.

Before he stands up and grabs the folder of his report he whispers something. “I thought Jessica was messaging.”

Then he left his office and proceeded to his grandfather’s office.

On the other hand, Jessica is sleeping and having a nightmare again as usual. Whenever she sleeps she always has a nightmare. Her dream is always about the poor boy and the girl named Xhesika.

Who are they? And how are they related to Jessica?

Well even Jessica doesn’t know why they have appeared in her dreams almost every night ever since she was a teenager.

But whenever they appear in Jessica’s dream, Jessica can barely recall what her dream is all about.

Tonight, Jessica is seeing these scenes in her dream;

Xhesika has been running errands all day. It’s already evening but Xhesika is still doing many things. She felt very tired but her Aunt Alma still sent her on an errand at the market.

As usual Xhesika walked fast so that she could do the errand as quickly as possible so that her Aunt wouldn’t get angry. Xhesika was on her way home when she saw a familiar face of a woman. Xhesika saw Sara, her grandparents’ former maidservant. Sara worked as a housemaid in her grandparents’ house for a long time.

But Jessica’s grandparents died in a car accident. After the burial of Jessica’s grandparents, Sara went home immediately to her hometown. As if she was running away from someone she knew before. As if she wants to hide from someone she met during the burial of Jessica’s grandparents.After Xhesika’s grandparents’ burial, Xhesika never saw Sara again. That is the last time Xhesika saw Sara so she felt very happy today when she saw Sara. She was close to Sara when she was a little girl.

Sara was walking down the street heading to the market where Xhesika brought food. Xhesika approached her.

“Sara! I’m glad I see you again”, Xhesika exclaimed when she got near Sara.

“Xhesika! Is that you?” Sara was so surprised when she saw Xhesika.

“What are you doing here in Tirana? I thought you would go home to your hometown after my grandparents’ burial?” Xhesika asked Sara.

“I’m here to see the father of my only son,” Sara answered.

Xhesika noticed that disappointment crossed Sara’s thin face.

“You have a son? You didn’t tell me about that before.So where is his father? He didn’t marry you? He left you?” Xhesika asked too many questions to Sara.

“I’m the one who left because I don’t belong where he belongs. Haris, the father of my son, is rich while I just belong to a poor family. I was working with him as a maidservant before. We easily got acquainted with each other until we fell for each other. I got pregnant. For I am a coward I didn’t tell Haris. I broke up with him and left. But rumors had spread when some of his business partners saw me accidentally when I was pregnant. They knew that Haris and I had a relationship before. They ask me who is the father of my child but I never told them that Haris is the father of my child. But they told Haris about it. From then on Haris believed that he had a child. He started looking for me and my child. But I hid my son. I’m afraid that Haris will get my son from me. I am determined not to give my son to him because he was about to get married to his fiancee who is so jealous of me. I know she will be cruel to my child if she became my son’s stepmother. But years passed by and I heard the news that Haris marriage was postponed because his fiancee and him broke up. I saw Haris on your grandparents burial. He approached me and asked again about my son. He gave me some documents stating that my son is his son and the only inheritor of all his wealth. He wanted to get close to me again. He wanted to meet his son. I agreed but I changed my mind when I learned that he has a new fiancee that extremely hated my son when she learned that Haris made that a document indicating that my son is the only heir of all his wealth. I felt afraid of Haris fiance and didn’t show up to Haris anymore. I went home immediately to my hometown. Year passed by and I was diagnosed with terminal cancer. I’m afraid no one will take care of my son. So since I heard the news that Haris and her new fiancee broke up I decided to bring my son to Haris. But I don’t know that Haris is sick also. He hid it from everyone. And I learned that he died months ago when I went to his office last month.“ Sara told her story with regrets.

“So you were not able to talk to Sir Haris anymore?“ Asked Xhesika.

“Yes, and it’s too late to give him my son because he died months ago because of lung cancer.” Sara said in a sad voice. Sara is about to cry. Xhesika notices it. Xhesika knew that Sara was worried about his son. Xhesika is a kindhearted girl. She offered help to Sara.

“How can I help you Sara?”

Without any hesitation Sara asked what help she needed because she knew Xhesika could help her.

“Can you please take care of my son if I’m gone Xhesika?” asked Sara while she got something from her bag.

“Here please take these pictures of my son. And this document states that he is Haris’ son. Please keep this and help my son claim his inheritance when he is at the right age. And here is the address where my son and I are residing at present. We shared a house with one of my friends near here.” Sara said to Xhesika. Xhesika took what Sara handed to her.

“Okay I will visit your place if I have time.” Xhesika promised to Sara.

“Thank you , Xhesika. I’m glad I see you here.” Sara said.

“Me too Sara.I have to go home now for sure Aunt Alma is looking for me now.” Xhesika said while fear crossed in her beautiful face as usual.

“Take care Xhesika. I’ll wait for you to visit my place.” Sara said and smiled at Xhesika.

“Take care also. Don’t worry I will take care of your son when you’re no longer living.” Xhesika said in a soft voice holding back the tears in her eye.She is sad because she knew sooner or later Sara would pass away.

They waved goodbye to each other. Sara took a deep breath when Xhesika walked away but she was happy because she knew Xhesika will do what she promised even though Xhesika is just a 10- year old girl.

Time goes by without a trace. Xhesika didn’t know that Sara was already dead.

Sara’s son has nowhere to go and suffers from being cold and hungry out in the street for he was castaway by Sara’s friends to whom they shared a house for rent. Sara’s friend considered that Sara’s son is just a burden and the child is good for nothing because he cannot help them to earn a living. So one night Sara’s friend sent Sara’s son out of their house even though it’s a cold winter. From that day Sara’s son started wandering on the busy street of the city.

Xhesika got busy and she was not able to pay a visit to the house where Sara was residing.

In addition to that Xhesika also has her own problem that’s why she almost forgot the condition of Sara.

Three months had passed but still Xhesika couldn’t visit Sara’s place because her Aunt Alma didn’t allow her to go to Sara’s place. In those three months Sara’s son suffered the hardship of life out in the street.

One day Xhesika decided to escape from her Aunt Alma to visit Sara’s place. To her surprise when she reached Sara’s residence, she heard the news that Sara was already dead. Xhesika didn’t know where to find the son of Sara. He is not in that house now.

BUT Xhesika didn’t stop looking for him until she found Sara’s son in a nearby place. The poor boy is wandering out in the street, suffering from hunger and cold.

She found the son of Sara at one of the busy streets of their city. The son of Sara was searching for food from garbage.

At first Xhesika bought him only some food and left him again on the street but with a promise that she would come back to see him again.

Because Xhesika is just a 10-year old, the same age as Sara’s son, she also didn’t know what she would do to Sara’s son. She can’t bring the poor boy to the house of her Aunt Alma for the old woman will get angry at her.

All she could do is to give the poor boy some food and clothes to wear for protection in the cold winter whenever she had time to visit the place where Sara’s son wandered all day, all night for he had no home and permanent place to stay.

Sara’s son didn’t leave that place because he knew Xhesika would come back and looked for him. He is always waiting for Xhesika near the fast food place where Xhesika told him to wait for her.

As time went by ,Xhesika and Sara’s son became best friends. Their friendship grows stronger. As a result, Xhesika always escaped from her Aunt Alma’s house just to visit Sara’s son. To check if the poor boy is still in the same place. That fast food on the corner of the street is their meeting place.

On the other hand, Sara’s son is always waiting for Xhesika to come back. He waits for Xhesika outside the fast food place or near the fast food place. The poor boy knew that no matter what happened Xhesika would come back to see him. The poor boy felt happy whenever Xhesika was around. Xhesika took away the worries and fears that he had. When Xhesika is around all his sorrow melts away. Whenever Xhesika is around he doesn’t have to be afraid that he is homeless. She cast his fears aside. Xhesika gave him strength to carry on. And with that he knows he can survive in his life off the street.

Cell Phone alarm clock: BZZZZZZZ! BZZZZZZZ! BZZZZZZZ!

Digital alarm clock: BEEP, BEEP, BEEP, BEEP

Old alarm clock: RIIIIING, RIIIIING, RIIIIING, RIIIIING,

Jessica woke up from her deep sleep because the alarm clocks in her room started to ring. It’s already morning, time to go to work again.

*****

8:00 pm Tuesday, in Albania.

Zamir is already at home. He is in his bedroom busy reviewing the new business proposal of his grandfather Jacob.

Zamir’s suggestion for the possible place for their new business was approved by his grandfather. Zamir is the one who will be in charge of the implementation of the new project. The new business is a manufacturing company whose products are chocolates.

Zamir is busy reading about the raw materials needed in manufacturing chocolates. He needs to study it for him to find a good supplier of the raw materials.

“Chocolate is a food preparation in the form of a paste or solid block made from roasted and ground cacao seeds, typically sweetened...”This is what Zamir is reading when his phone vibrates. He picked it up from the bedside table and stared at the screen. To his surprise, it is Jessica who is messaging.

“Hi, how are you?” Jessica’s message.

“Hello, I’m fine. How about you? ” Zamir replied. He is a little bit disturbed by Jessica’s message because he needs to devote his time in studying the new business proposal for he is about to present it the next day to the board of directors of J & H Summit Holdings, Inc.

But he doesn’t mind. He chose to reply. He doesn’t understand why he is doing this thing at this moment while he has the choice to just ignore Jessica’s message. He just feels some kind of emotional attachment to Jessica.

It’s a signal that he has become emotionally attached to Jessica because he can’t stop himself thinking about her and talking to her.

The signs that maybe he is attached to her are: he always wanted to send messages to her; he expected a response from her like he needed her attention right now.

Even if he is doing a priority task such as being at work, he wants to receive a message from her. And if he doesn’t get a message from her, he feels lonely.

Well, it’s normal that some may have an emotional connection with another person without being in a relationship, but not realize they are falling for someone deeply.